egroj world: Hal Singer Featuring David Murray • Challenge

Saturday, April 13, 2024

Hal Singer Featuring David Murray • Challenge

Artist Biography by Bill Dahl

Equally at home blowing scorching R&B or tasty jazz, Hal "Cornbread" Singer has played and recorded both over a career spanning more than half a century. Singer picked up his early experience as a hornman with various Southwestern territory bands, including the outfits of Ernie Fields, Lloyd Hunter, and Nat Towles. He made it to Kansas City in 1939, working with pianist Jay McShann (whose sax section also included Charlie Parker), before venturing to New York, in 1941, and playing with Hot Lips Page, Earl Bostic, Don Byas, and Roy Eldridge (with whom he first recorded in 1944). After the close of the war, Singer signed on with Lucky Millinder's orchestra.

Singer had just fulfilled his life's ambition -- a chair in Duke Ellington's prestigious reed section -- in 1948, when a honking R&B instrumental called "Cornbread" that he'd recently waxed for Savoy as a leader began to take off. That presented a wrenching dilemma for the young saxist, but in the end, his decision to go out on his own paid off; "Cornbread" paced the R&B charts for four weeks and gave him his enduring nickname. Another of his Savoy instrumentals, "Beef Stew," also cracked the R&B lists.

Singer recorded rocking R&B workouts for Savoy into 1956 (the cuisine motif resulting in helpings of "Neck Bones," "Rice and Red Beans," and "Hot Bread"), working with sidemen including pianists Wynton Kelly and George Rhodes, guitarist Mickey Baker, bassist Walter Page, and drummer Panama Francis. One of his last dates for the firm produced the torrid "Rock 'n' Roll," which may have featured Singer as vocalist as well as saxist.

By the late '50s, Singer had abandoned rock & roll for a life as a jazz saxist. He recorded for Prestige in a more restrained manner in 1959, and stayed in that general groove. Singer relocated to Paris in 1965, winning over European audiences with his hearty blowing and engaging in quite a bit of session work with visiting blues and jazz luminaries. The old R&B fire flared up temporarily in 1990, when he cut Royal Blue for Black Top with boogie piano specialist Al Copley.

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Biografía del artista por Bill Dahl

Igualmente en casa, con un excelente R&B o un sabroso jazz, Hal "Cornbread" Singer ha jugado y grabado ambos durante una carrera que abarca más de medio siglo. Singer aprendió su primera experiencia como hornman con varias bandas del territorio del Suroeste, incluidos los equipos de Ernie Fields, Lloyd Hunter y Nat Towles. Llegó a Kansas City en 1939, trabajando con el pianista Jay McShann (cuya sección de saxofón también incluía a Charlie Parker), antes de aventurarse a Nueva York, en 1941, y tocar con Hot Lips Page, Earl Bostic, Don Byas y Roy Eldridge ( con quien grabó por primera vez en 1944). Después del final de la guerra, Singer firmó con la orquesta de Lucky Millinder.

Singer acababa de cumplir con la ambición de su vida, una silla en la prestigiosa sección de caña de Duke Ellington, en 1948, cuando comenzó a despegar un instrumental de R&B llamado "Cornbread" que recientemente había elegido para Savoy como líder. Eso presentaba un dilema desgarrador para el joven saxista, pero al final, su decisión de salir por su cuenta dio sus frutos; "Cornbread" estuvo en el ritmo de las listas de R&B durante cuatro semanas y le dio su apodo perdurable. Otro de sus instrumentos de Savoy, "Beef Stew", también rompió las listas de R&B.

Singer grabó los entrenamientos de R&B para Savoy en 1956 (el motivo de la cocina resultó en "Neck Bones", "Rice and Red Beans" y "Hot Bread"), trabajando con sidemen, incluidos los pianistas Wynton Kelly y George Rhodes, el guitarrista Mickey Baker , el bajista Walter Page, y el baterista Panama Francis. Una de sus últimas fechas para la firma produjo el tórrido "Rock 'n' Roll", que puede haber presentado a Singer como vocalista y saxista.

A finales de los años 50, Singer había abandonado el rock & roll por una vida como saxista de jazz. Grabó para Prestige de una manera más moderada en 1959, y se mantuvo en ese ritmo general. Singer se mudó a París en 1965, conquistando a las audiencias europeas con su buen corazón y participando en un poco de trabajo de sesión con visitantes de luminarias de blues y jazz. El antiguo incendio de R&B estalló temporalmente en 1990, cuando cortó Royal Blue para Black Top con el especialista en pianos Al Copley.

Tracks:
1 - Challenge
Written-By – Hal Singer 10:18
2 - Hamid's Time
Written-By – Hal Singer 9:03
3 - Hong Kong Nights
Written-By – David Murray 10:59
4 - I Thought About You
Written-By – Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Mercer 8:40
5 - Long March To Freedom
Written-By – David Murray 7:57
6 - Stressology
Written-By – David Murray 10:29
7 - Dreams Of Dream
Written-By – Hal Singer 10:04
8 - About The Children
Written-By – David Murray 8:31

Credits:
    Bass – Jaribu Shahid
    Drums – Hamid Drake
    Edited By, Mastered By – Alexis Frenkel
    Photography By – Geneviève Beauzée
    Piano – Lafayette Gilchrist
    Producer – Gérard Terronès
    Recorded By, Mixed By – Anne-Pascale David, Georges Petillault
    Tenor Saxophone – Hal Singer
    Tenor Saxophone, Art Direction – David Murray
    Trumpet – Rasul Siddik (tracks: 3, 6)

Recorded in Paris on April 9 & 10th, 2010

Label:    Marge – MARGE 47
Country:    France
Released:    2010
Genre:    Jazz
Style:    Contemporary Jazz
https://www.discogs.com/release/4577162-Hal-Singer-Featuring-David-Murray-Challenge